Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A mountain range shared by three countries

The Atlas Mountains are usually linked with Morocco, which holds the highest and most famous peaks, including Mount Toubkal. But the range stretches much further, running through Algeria and into Tunisia. Geologically, the Atlas belongs to the same broad system as the Alps, formed as tectonic plates collided. The mountains also act as a natural barrier, separating the mild Mediterranean coast from the dry expanse of the Sahara to the south.

Why the South Pole was reached in 1911

Roald Amundsen's expedition reached the South Pole in December 1911, beating Robert Falcon Scott's British team by around a month. Amundsen had originally planned to head for the North Pole, but switched his goal when rival claims emerged. He kept the change secret even from his own crew until the journey was underway. Scott's party reached the pole later, only to find Amundsen's marker, and died on the return trek.

Two sighthounds worth knowing

The Azawakh is a lean sighthound from the Sahel region of West Africa, bred by nomadic peoples for hunting and guarding. It is easily confused with the Sloughi, a related North African breed. The other options in the quiz are cats: the British Shorthair is a sturdy, placid feline, and the Balinese is a long-haired variety of the Siamese. So the giveaway is simple - if it sounds feline, it probably is.

One country, two very different neighbours

China shares a border with both Nepal, along the Himalayas, and Mongolia, across the Gobi Desert to the north. That makes it the only country in the quiz that touches both. The Nepal-China frontier runs through the highest mountains on Earth, while the Mongolian border stretches across open steppe and desert. Few nations have neighbours as geographically contrasting as these.